


Pushing Limits

by nyromes



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Caning, Dom/sub, Dominant Enjolras, Flogging, Impact Play, M/M, Subdrop, Submissive Grantaire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 19:44:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5346326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyromes/pseuds/nyromes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grantaire asks his Apollo to push him to his limits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pushing Limits

“And you are sure you want to do this, Grantaire?” Enjolras asked, looking at the dark haired man standing naked in the middle of his bedroom.

It wasn’t the first time they did this, or at least something like this, but somehow Enjolras was a little more nervous today than usually.

Grantaire frowned and stepped closer to Enjolras, lightly placing a hand on the younger man’s chest. Enjolras’ heart was beating rapidly under his touch and the blond desperately hoped that his friend wouldn’t notice how his heart began to flutter even faster when Grantaire leaned in and pressed his lips against the blond’s in a soft, but reassuring kiss.

A gentle smile played about the artist’s lips as he looked up at him. Of course he’d noticed. He always did. After all these years, it still took Enjolras by surprise how the artist seemed to read his thoughts as if they were written right on his forehead. The trust and sincerity he could see in Grantaire’s gaze in moments like this still managed to take Enjolras breath every time.

“I do, Enjolras, we talked about this. It was my idea and I wouldn’t have brought it up if I didn’t want it or thought I couldn’t do it. But if it’s something you don’t want, if you’re not comfortable with it or just not in the mood, we don’t have to do it, okay? It was just an idea. We can do something else if you want?” 

“It’s not that I don’t like the idea. The thought of it definitely appeals to me, it’s just-” Enjolras shook his head and dropped his gaze to the floor before looking back at his partner. “I’m just worried that I might go too far and don’t notice when it’s too much for you. I don’t want to do something wrong and seriously hurt you.”

Grantaire’s hand moved up to his face, tenderly cupping the student’s jaw, while his other hand came to rest on the man’s waist. “You won’t,” he said, holding Enjolras’ gaze, his voice never faltering. “I know that you won’t. You’re the most attentive and respectful person I know. You’re ambitious and passionate but careful and considerate at the same time and you know me better than I probably know myself. You’re the best Dom and partner I could wish for and I trust you, Enjolras.” His grip on Enjolras’ waist tightened as he brushed his thumb across the other’s cheek and Enjolras couldn’t help but lean into the reassuring touch.

The complete faith and devotion Grantaire seemed to show him so easily exited and scared him at the same time. Grantaire not only let Enjolras take control, he gave it freely and without hesitation, knowing that he could trust Enjolras enough to be this vulnerable around him. The blond wasn’t sure he’d ever truly understand why Grantaire had chosen him and he couldn’t even begin to describe how important it was to him, but he knew he’d do anything to ensure Grantaire’s well-being and safety.

Grantaire took Enjolras’ hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze, making sure the blond’s attention was focused entirely on him again before continuing.

“I know my safewords and my safe signals and I promise to use them when I need to. It’s the whole point of this scene, after all. And I know you’ll check in on me and stop immediately if I’m too far gone to continue.” He kept his eyes fixed on Enjolras for a few more moments until Enjolras bit his lip and nodded.

Something about Grantaire’s mere presence, the sound of his voice or the way he always seemed to find right words, managed to make him feel at ease every time.

“Do you trust me?” Grantaire asked, still holding Enjolras close and firmly keeping his eyes on the other man.

Enjolras could practically feel the tension draining from his body. He nodded again, more enthusiastically this time, and wrapped his arms around Grantaire’s middle, casting his friend a determined smile.

“I do,” he said after a second and he could see the relief crossing Grantaire’s features at his reply. He suddenly realised how nervous the artist, too, had been. As if he’d been expecting or at least considering another answer. The thought alone made Enjolras’ heart clench painfully in his chest. He knew of his partner’s insecurities, his constant self-doubt and unfounded feelings of worthlessness, but the fact that Grantaire still doubted the blond’s love… Enjolras couldn’t deny that it hurt.

Closing the small distance between them, Enjolras pressed his forehead against Grantaire’s. “Of course I trust you,” he said, softly brushing their lips together and pulling away with a tentative smile when Grantaire tried to deepen their kiss. “I love you, Grantaire. You know that, right?”

Grantaire’s gaze shifted, first to the wall, then to the floor. He was pulling away from the other man, unconsciously, but Enjolras didn’t loosen his grip on his waist. He waited as the brunet took a breath, biting his lips and nodding to himself before looking back up.

“I know you do, Enj. Most days I know… But that’s not your fault, it’s mine. Because I know that you care and that you wouldn’t be with me if you didn’t and, honestly, that’s more than I ever could have hoped for, but… It’ll just take some time, okay?”

Enjolras tugged Grantaire closer again and nodded, placing one hand on the back of his partner’s neck. Then he pressed a soft kiss to his hairline, letting his lips linger for a few seconds and burying his nose in the artist’s dark curls. There were still spots of paint in his hair, from when he’d been working on yet another portrait of Enjolras earlier that evening, and the blond couldn’t help but smile.

“Okay,” he breathed, closing his eyes for a moment before straightening up again. Grantaire was staring up at him again, hesitation and concern almost entirely gone from his eyes.  
“I love you too, Apollo,” he grinned, stealing a quick kiss from his friend before Enjolras could pull away again. But Enjolras just kissed him back whole-heartedly, chuckling at the brunet’s inexorable eagerness, glad that they’d talked this out.

“You alright?” Enjolras asked when they broke apart. He was still carding his fingers through the artist’s messy mop of curls. Grantaire just rolled his eyes.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling up at Enjolras, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m great actually. Please stop worrying.” And now it was Enjolras’ turn to roll his eyes, as Grantaire hooked two fingers into the blond’s waistband, biting his lower lip in a wicked smirk. Enjolras raised his eyebrows, though he should not have been surprised.

“You still want to do this?”

“Oh, yes,” Grantaire purred, leaning in to breathe against the sensitive skin of his Apollo’s neck and letting his fingers trail down the student’s front until his hand came to rest over the bulge in Enjolras’ black slacks. “If you’re still up for it, of course.”

Enjolras tipped his head back, not even trying to suppress the low moan escaping his lips, as Grantaire pressed his hand more firmly against his crotch and teasingly raked his fingernails across the straining fabric of Enjolras’ pants. “Fuck,” Enjolras gasped, making the other man chuckle against his throat, before he began to gently bite the pale skin just above the V-neck of Enjolras red T-shirt.

“F-fuck, ‘Taire! Alright, alright-” He backed away a little and tugged on the dark curls at the back of Grantaire’s head, grinning at the smug look on the man’s face. “Brat,” he chuckled, which only made Grantaire grin more broadly.

“I guess you’ll just have to put me in my place, then,” Grantaire challenged.

Enjolras shot him a predatory look. “Believe me, I will.”

Grantaire’s breath hitched just a little and Enjolras smirked. He could practically see the power dynamics shift between them. The sight of Grantaire bowing his head just a little, his gaze dropping to the floor instead of staying fixed on Enjolras’ sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins. It was amazing how effortlessly they slipped into their roles, especially Grantaire.

Tearing his eyes away from his lover, Enjolras turned to the small table behind him.

“On your knees,” he said, his voice firm and almost cold, and Grantaire followed his order without hesitation. A pleased smirk crossed Enjolras’ features as he heard the soft thud of Grantaire’s knees hitting the floor. He let his fingers trail over the items on the table. They’d planned this scene together and Enjolras already knew what implements he would use, but he liked to take his time and tease his lover, if only a little.

Finally, Enjolras closed his hand around the flogger. It was one of Grantaire’s favourites, relatively light and perfect to warm him up to the more stinging sensation of a cane or whip.

“We’ll start slow,” Enjolras said as he turned back around. “I’ll give you thirty, fifteen to your back and fifteen to your ass. You don’t have to count.” He buried one hand in the artist’s hair, pulling his head back with enough force to make Grantaire look up at him. “I want you to stay quiet, okay?”

Grantaire swallowed and nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

Enjolras smiled at him. “Good boy,” he murmured and crouched down in front of him. He brought his hand to the side of Grantaire’s face, the tips of his fingers still moving through the dark strands of hair as he kissed the artist’s forehead. He pulled back a little and locked his eyes with Grantaire’s. They were dark, almost completely black, but his gaze was still focused, still determined.

Enjolras nodded once and got up, suddenly drawing his hand away from Grantaire and slapping the dark-haired man hard across the face.

The blow took Grantaire by surprise, making him gasp and turn his head to the side before he could remember his position.

Enjolras slowly walked around him, letting the tips of the flogger’s tails trail across Grantaire’s shoulder, the light touch making the cynic tremble. 

Enjolras stopped behind his back and the touch was suddenly gone from Grantaire’s skin, leaving the dark-haired man with nothing but the nerve-racking anticipation of what was to come.

Enjolras drew his hand back.

The first blow was light, as was the second, third and fourth, just soft thuds against Grantaire’s pale skin. But Enjolras kept building a steady rhythm, using a little more force after the first few blows and alternating between Grantaire’s upper back and his bottom. He could see the brunet’s skin warm up under his strokes, blood rising to the surface and turning his skin a light shade of red.

Enjolras slowly worked his way up, increasing his pace and varying between softer and harder blows. Grantaire whimpered whenever Enjolras aimed to hit his skin with just the tips of the tails, but he kept his posture, only squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth to stay quiet as Enjolras delivered the last five strokes in quick succession and more force than before.

Enjolras stepped to the side and dropped the flogger onto the bed, before walking back to his sub.

“You’re doing great, boy,” he said, gently stroking Grantaire’s head. “Look at me.”

Grantaire hesitated for a moment but obliged, raising his head to meet Enjolras’ gaze.

“You’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you.”

Grantaire was still breathing heavily, but he managed to cast Enjolras a flustered smile at the praise. Enjolras smiled back.

“Are you ready for more?” he asked after a second and Grantaire nodded.

“Alright. Crawl over to the wall and brace yourself against it.”

He let go of Grantaire’s hair and turned back to the table again, listening to the other man shuffling as he moved across the room. He picked up the cane and walked over to where Grantaire was now kneeling, his forearms braced against the wall and his head bowed between them.

Enjolras lightly placed a hand on his shoulder and bent down to kiss the back of his neck. Grantaire was beautiful like this. He always was, but seeing him in this state, flushed and trembling, so obedient and vulnerable… It made Enjolras' heart burst with love and admiration for him.

“You don’t have to be quiet anymore,” he said, straightening up again.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“I won’t stop until you tell me to and I want you to know that you can stop at any time.” He took a step back, putting enough distance between them so that he’d be able swing the cane without difficulty. “Do you remember your safewords?”

“Yes, Sir. Yellow if I need a break and Red to break the scene off completely.” His voice was a little breathy as he spoke.

“Good,” Enjolras said, tapping the cane against Grantaire’s ass. “Remember to breathe.”

Then he drew the cane back and snapped his wrist just lightly, landing a perfect strike on Grantaire’s ass. Grantaire gasped at the sharp sting but didn’t move otherwise. The next strike hit a little lower. Enjolras stepped to the side, changing the angle just slightly before striking again with a bit more force, watching as Grantaire’s head fell forward with a groan. He waited a few moments, careful not to overstimulate his lover, before striking the same spot again.

“Ah, Sir, please,” Grantaire’s back arched and he cried out, “Please, Sir- More, plea-” Another blow cut him off, making his muscles tense up for a second.

“Shh… You’re doing great,” Enjolras soothed, moving to the other side and striking again, putting just a little more strength into the next few blows. “You’re taking this so well. My good boy. So perfect for me.”

Red welts were forming on Grantaire’s ass, parallel stripes that covered the sensitive skin of his cheeks. Enjolras let the tip of the cane move up the side of Grantaire’s thigh and took a few seconds to watch Grantaire writhe beneath the light touch. He was breathing more slowly now, completely focussed on the sharp, burning pain.

Enjolras closed his eyes for a second, relishing the surge of power that rushed through his body. He took a breath and then flexed his forearm, using it to add more force to the next couple of strokes.

“So beautiful,” he said, striking another blow and listening to the crack of the cane landing on Grantaire’s skin. “I love watching you like this. Watching you beg and cry for me like the good little slut you are.”

Grantaire was sobbing quietly, tears running down his face as another blow crashed into him. The sight of it made Enjolras thoughts spin, the adrenaline cursing trough his veins heightening his senses and making his heart beat almost erratically.

Paying close attention to Grantaire’s reaction, he drew the cane back again and aimed for a different angle, crossing the pattern of parallel lines. Droplets of blood formed almost immediately where the stripes intersected.

Grantaire’s initial scream was replaced by loud sobs as he let his forehead fall against the wall, his limbs beginning to shake. Another stroke met his skin, breaking it again where the lines crossed.

Enjolras was about to strike another blow, when he heard Grantaire’s voice.

“Red,” he breathed, barely loud enough for Enjolras to hear. “Red, Sir, please-” he tried again, but Enjolras was already next to him, kneeling on the floor and carefully taking him into his arms.

“I’m here, R, it’s okay,” he whispered into Grantaire’s curls, rubbing the back of his neck with his thumb. “It’s okay, love. It's over. I’m here.”

Grantaire’s face was buried in the crook of his neck, his hands clinging desperately to Enjolras’ T-shirt. He was crying, his tears soaking the fabric and making it stick to Enjolras’ shoulder, but the blond just kept stroking his hair, pressing lingering kisses to the top of his head as he held his lover close and waited for Grantaire’s sobs to die down.

“I’m so proud of you, love. You did so well for me. My perfect, beautiful boy,” Enjolras whispered empathically, “I love you so much. I can’t believe how much you trust me and how lucky I am... So incredibly lucky to have you.” He continued to card his fingers through the dark strands of Grantaire’s hair, muttering comforting words as Grantaire shivered in his arms.

“Come on, let’s get you on the bed so I can take care of you,” he said when Grantaire drew back a little and took deep, shuddery breaths. “Do you think you can stand up?”

Grantaire nodded weakly, still too out of his head to speak. Enjolras smiled softly and kissed his forehead again before he helped him rise to his feet and walk the few steps to the bed.

“Here you go,” he whispered as Grantaire lay down on his stomach. He sat on the edge of the bed, close enough that their bodies were still touching as he retrieved the first-aid kit, a piece of cloth, and a bottle of water from the drawer of his bedside table and placed them on the mattress. Taking the cloth, he moved to kneel next to Grantaire on the bed. Grantaire flinched when Enjolras fingers brushed against him, but he quickly leaned into the touch. Enjolras kept one hand on his lower back, gently moving his fingers over the skin to let Grantaire know he was there as he pressed the cloth to the still bleeding marks.

“I’m going to have to clean the cuts. They’re not deep but it might sting a little.”

Grantaire just hummed in response, so Enjolras reached for some pads of sterile gauze and the water, uncapping the bottle and pouring some on the pads. He carefully cleaned the blood from his lover’s skin, dabbing at the small wounds and applying pressure where they started to bleed again.

Finally, he grabbed the antibiotic cream from the first-aid kit and applied it to the cuts.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Grantaire hummed into the pillow again and Enjolras swiftly disposed of the cloth and pads. He set the other items down on the floor and quickly got undressed, before laying down beside his friend. Grantaire immediately cuddled up to him, resting his head on Enjolras’ shoulder and placing a hand on his chest as Enjolras drew a blanket over the both of them.

The blond smiled and gently pulled him closer. “Do you want to drink something?” he asked after a moment, already reaching for another bottle of water, but Grantaire shook his head.

“Later,” he managed, his voice a little raspy.

“Do you need anything else? Do you want me to get you something?” Enjolras asked.

“Can you just stop moving for once and hold me for a bit?”

“For as long as you want,” Enjolras smiled, running his hand down the side of Grantaire’s waist. It was good to hear that Grantaire was already starting to come back to his usual, teasing self. Still, Enjolras couldn’t help but worry about him every time they played.

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other without saying anything, both savouring the warmth and proximity of the other. Enjolras was starting to get lost in thought when Grantaire shifted and placed a firm kiss on his collar bone, making the younger man look down at him in slight surprise.

“I love you, Grantaire,” Enjolras murmured, his voice breaking the silence of the room. He raised his hand to Grantaire’s cheek and brushed a stray curl out of his face.

Grantaire smiled contentedly and resumed his position on Enjolras’ shoulder.

“I love you, too, Apollo. A lot.” He pressed another kiss to the blond’s neck. “Thank you for this...” 

He yawned and Enjolras chuckled softly.

“Mind if I fall asleep?” Grantaire asked.

Enjolras just smiled and shook his head. “Go ahead. We can talk tomorrow.”

He was quite sure he wouldn’t be able to find some sleep anytime soon, but that was okay. He certainly wouldn’t keep Grantaire awake just because his brain once again refused to shut up.

When he turned his head to look at Grantaire, the artist’s eyes were already closed, so Enjolras just let his head fall back into the pillows and stared at the ceiling, listening to his friend’s steady breathing as he waited to fall asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> To be honest, I'm a little nervous about posting this because it's my first story on AO3 and my first fic for this fandom and I'm not sure how happy I am with my work, so... Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


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